Measured-service telephone system



June 26, 1923. $459 3 F. M. SLOUGH MEASURED SERVICE TELEPHONE SYSTEMFiled MaICh 25 1918 INVENTOR Patented June 26, I923. 1

STATES PATENT QFFEQE,

FRANK M. SLOUGH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STBOMBERG-CARL-SON TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A COR-PORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEASURED-SERVICE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Application filed. March 25, 1918. Serial No. 224,415.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK \I. SLoUeH,

a citizen of the United States, and residing at Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and 5 State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Measured- Service Telephone Systems, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephone exchange systems, and moreparticularly to measured service telephone systems in which a record iskept of the service secured by the subscriber through the exchange, andrelates furthermore to facilities provided for the purpose of givingimproved service to the subscriber.

It is an object of this invention to provide means to charge subscribersfor calls in accordance with the time of day when such calls are made,and in accordance with the time the subscribers telephone is in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedregistration apparatus at the exchange and associated with the lineapparatus of the subscriber thereat for registering the unitsproportional to the charge to be made to the subscriber, and it is stillanother object of this invention to provide registration means at thesubscribers station, so that the subscriber may be kept informed at alltimes as to the charges being made against him.

Other objects of this invention and the invention itself will beapparent as the description thereof progresses.

It has been found in. the operation of telephone exchanges that the loadduring busy hours of the day is far in excess of that during theremaining hours of the day For instance, in certain exchanges it isfound thatlat about 9 oclock in the morning and again at 5 oclock in theevening, there is an abnormal load placed upon the system by theincreased number of calls being put through at these times, this onaccount of the business and social habits of telephone users. Duringthese .short periods which vary in different locations in duration andoccurring at different times of the day according to the location andhabits of the people living therein, it is necessary to call into use atthe telephone exchange an in creased amount of telephone lineinterconnet-ting apparatus over what is ordinarily required during othertimes of the day, and the provision of this extra apparatus not onlyincreases the cost of the telephone exchange apparatus,but cuts down theetficlency of operation of the same. This is true whether the exchangeis a subscriber operated or a centrally operated exchange.

It is an object of this invention to so apportion a charge made to thesubscriber, that it will be to the subscribers monetary interest to makehis calls, if possible, occurring at some other than the busy time ofday for the telephone exchange, and to limit the conversational periodlength.

In registering charges against calling, subscribers and telephoneexchanges, it is the usual practice to charge the subscriber so much. acall, but this is objectional for the reason that in such a method ofcharging an injustice is done to the subscribers who use the telephonefor only short periods of time, so that in my improved system I soarrange a register at the main office and a subsidiary register at thetelephone substa tion, which register units of the charge at certainrates of registration, the rates de pending upon the time of day, andthe number of registrations depending therefore upon the time of day andthe length of the conversational period.

In my improved system, I positively control the subsidiary subscribersregister by the main office subscribers register, so that there will beuniformity of registrations between the two registers.

The objects of this invention and the invention itself will be moreclearly understood from a description of the drawing illustrating theembodiment of my invention in a manual or centrally operated telephonesystem, although many of the objects of my invention may be capable ofembodiment in a subscriber operated or so-called automatic telephonesystem.

Referring to the drawing, at A, I show a calling subscribers substationapparatus, and at B, I show a called subscribers substation apparatus.At C, I show an opera tors connection link circuit illustrated hereotherlike plugs,

in as a cord circuit. For the line of the subscriber A, I show a linerelay Z, controlling a signal lamp Z, a cutoff relay 0 and a substationregistration relay r. The contacts of the relay 1 are of themake-before-break type to insure the energization of the supervisoryrelay so during the transmission of impulses controlling registration."I also show a central ofiice register at R and a switchboard jack inwhich the calling subscribers line terminates at'J. The cord circuit Cterminates at the call answering end in a switchboard plug P, and at thecalled subscribers end in a switchboard plug P. An operators setisshown'atO,an'd'adapted by means of switchboard key is to be connectedto the talking strandsoi the cord circuit. At S, I showregistra'tionapparatus common to aplurality of cord circuits C, and capable ofcontrolling the operation of registers on,

whatever line such cord circuits maybe connected. For instance, theapparatus S serve the lines of an entire exchange. The apparatusconsists of a clock or other timing'apparatus T, which operates contactss ,at certain intervals, for instance, once an hour; Ilnderthe controlof these contacts and operated at such periods as the contacts areoperated, is ainotor magnet M for a rotary 'swit'ch SW'which ispropelledfrom switch contact to switch contact under the control of the'timingapparatus T and the control magnet M, thereby changing the connection'bety'velen the switch-arm la oi the sWit clitSl/V from one contact ofthe switch to another according to thetimeot day.

illustrated there are 24 contacts for this switch, one for each hour ofthe day, and there are furthermore 24 conductors CT, leading from thesecontacts to interconnecting switch mechanism IS. This interconnectingswitch mechanism is herein illus trated as'th e well-known plugswitchboard, in which it is possible to interconnect any 0f the verticalcircuit conductors CT extending through this switchboard to any of thehorizontal conductors H. Any number of the conductors CT may beconnected to the same conductor of the group H, as may be desired. Eachof the conductors of the group H leads to a magnet, such as mflm mor mEach oi these magnets controlthe connection to a common rate orregistration circuit conductor BR, leading to'the' cord circuits of theexchange; One of the registration interruptersI, 1 ,1 I and T isincluded in circu t 'witlithe rate of registration conductor RR at atime, dependingupon the position of ,tli e'switc-h SW at thetinie andthe condition of interconnection orthe switchboard IS, as may bepredeterminedby the insertion the interconnecting plug, such for int rs$f s$11 ni t er s y the P sltions occupied the plugs K, and the may Theinterrupters I, I 1 I and I, have different rates of actuation,revolving for instance. at different rates of speed, so that theconnection between the central office source of current BY and the rateof registration do with the registration functions alone will nOt beoperated, since it is customary to only charge the originating orcalling subscriber for connections put through the switchboard. I

For the supervision of the connection put through the switchboard bymeans of thein: tel-connecting link circuit C, two signal lamps areprovided, SA and SC for the ane swering and the calling ,end of the cordcircuit respectively. At 3a, and at so are the re,- spectivesupervisoryand ,co ltrolling relays under the control the answered and calledsubscribers respectively.

At E, is shown a relay performing a func: tion of conditioning thesignal lamp SA to make a recall for the calling subscriber, and inaddition periormsthe function of separating thetalking strands of thecord circuit, so that the called'subscriber may not hear an ensuingconversation between the recalling subscriber and the operator.

The other apparatus shown in the drawing and the operative relationbetweenthe different apparatus therein shown will be more clearlyunderstood from a description of a connection which will be assumed tobe made between a calling subscriber at the substation A, and calledsubstation at as follows: A

The subscriber at A removing his receiver from the hook, will close atalking circuit by the closure of the contacts 2 for the substationtransmitter 3 and receiver 4 of the substation A, and will close acircuit including the winding of the line relay Z to operate the linelamp Z upon the closure of the contacts 5 of the line relay Z. Thecircuit of the line relay Z can be traced from the negative pole ofbattery through the winding source operating the line relay and closingits contacts 5, will operate the line lamp Z, attracting the attentionof the operator to the call. The operator will answer the call byinserting the answering plug P of the cord circuit C into the jack J ofthe line making connection between the talking conductors thereof to thetip and sleeve springs of the jack by the corresponding talkingconductors of the cord circuit. tion of the plug into the jack willcomplete a circuit, including the windings of the cutoff relay 0 of theline, of the local controlling relay 10 of the cord circuit and of aresistance coil 11, together with the central oflice source of current,this circuit being completed by the joining of the contact 12 of theplug to the thimble contact 13 of the jack. Current from the said sourcewill flow over this circuit operating the relays 10 and a, which willthereupon attract relay armatures, the closing of the contacts 14 of therelay 10 preparing a circuit for the answer ing supervisory lamp SA, andthe opening of the contacts 9 and 6 of the line cutoff relay 0 openingthe circuit of the line relay Z to extinguish the line lamp Z. Theanswering supervisory lamp SA will not he operated at this time however,because of the presence of the subscriber substation instrument acrossthe limbs of the line operating the supervisory relay 8a, the circuitfor this relay including the central office source of current, thetandem windings of the relay 8611,, the tip and ring contacts of theanswering switchboard plug P, the contacting tip and ring springs of thejack J of the line, the talking strands of the line leading to thesubstation instrument A, the circuit being completed thereat through thesubstation transmitter 3 and the substation register-impedance coil Nacross which is connected in multiple the substation receiver l inseries with the substation condenser 18. Current from the source ofcurrent operating thesuervisory relay set, will open the contacts 17 inthe circuit of the supervisory lamp SA to prevent its operation.

The operator will now operate the listening key In, closing the contacts19 and 20 to connect the operators telephone set at O to the talkingstrands of the cord circuit which are, as has been stated, at the timeconnected to the talking strands of the line circuit. The operator andsubscriber being now in conversational circuit will converse, and theoperator will learn the number of the calledfor line, which we willassume in this description is the line containing the substation B. Theoperator will make connection with the called-for line after making theusual busy test, and the plug P is therefore inserted into the jack J toextend the connection between the calling and called lines by theoperation of a ringing key is. A

The inser-.

contact 23 of the plug P and the thimble contact 24 of the jack of thecalled line, the circuit furthermore including the central oiiice sourceof current and the winding of the called line cutoff relay 0. Currentfrom the said source will operate the relays 22 and c, the relay 0opening its contacts 25 and 26 to disconnect the called line relay 27from the line conductors, and the relay 22 closing its contacts 28, 29and 60.

At this point it may be stated, that the cutofl' relays 0 and 0 for thelines have two armatures, the one armature having a sensitive adjustmentand the other armature an insensitive adjustment, the last-namedarmature being for the relay 0, that armature which operates thecontacts 30, and for the relay 0' that armature operating the contacts31. These contacts for the two relays will not, at this point in theoperation of the circuit, be operated. The operator having restored herlistening key to normal, the contacts 15 will again be closed tocondition a circuit for the answering supervisory signal SA. The ringingkey is having been operated, will again be restored, closing its normalcontacts and connecting the windings of the called supervisory relay so,together with the central office source of current in circuit with thecalled subscribers line to be operated at the moment of response of thecalled subscriber upon taking 7 his receiver from the hook to close theline circuit of the called line, whereupon the called supervisory relayso will be operated, attracting its armatures, closing its contacts 32,and opening its contacts 33."

Prior to the response of the called-tor subscriber, the calledsupervisory lamp SC was operated over a circuit traced from the negativepole of the source of current, through the lamp SC, through normalcontacts of the relay so, and now closed contacts 29 of the relay 22 toground pole of the source of current. Upon the breaking of the contacts33, this signal is extinguished denoting to the operator that thecalled-for subscriber has responded. At this time the two subscribersare in conversational circuit,

that it is desired by the improved construction herein set forth, tobegin to register units of charge against the calling sub scriber.

These units of charge may be for convenience in the register R at thecentral oflice .1 units and may be for the substation regthe one withthe other, and it is at this time the windingof the cutoff relay 0decreased in resistance by an amount equal to the shunting of theresistance 0011 ll in its circuit. Upon such a shunting. for instance,

by the'operation of the contacts Stet the register relay the contacts 80will be,

closed, and the adjustment so. made that they will. be again opened uponthe opening of the contacts 34:, the operation of these contacts 30 ofthe relay '0 being adapted to be opened and closed under the control ofthe contacts 34 the while the contacts 6 and 9 remain opened.

At 1, 1 I 1 and P, are shown interrupters revolving to. produceinterruptions of circuit conductors associated with them, eachinterrupter revolving at a diiierent rate of speed so that each willproduce a characteristic rate of circuit interruption. hiieans areprovided by theprovision oi contacts 36, 37, 38, 39 and lO for therelays 771, m

m m and m respectively. for including in circuit with the controllingregistration conductor RR any one of the circuit inter rupters describedhaving a definite characteristic rate of interruption. Assume -tor themoment, that the relay m alone is operated at the time the circuitsinvolved. are operating as described. Such being the case, the

circuit interrupter I will be i'i'icluded in circuit with the conductorRR, mparting to this circuit interrupter its definite characteristicrate of circuit interruption, whereby.

the circuit-conductor ER will have its circuit interrupted at a definitecharacteristic rate.

Also included incircuit with the coni'luctor,

ltRarethe central oiiice sourcc of ciu'rent BY, the relay 35 of the cordcircuit, the now closed contacts 32 of the relay so, the now closedcontacts 41 of the relaysa, and the normally closed contacts 4-2 of therelay E.

Current from theisource BY will operate the.

relay 35 momentarily at the end of definite intervals predetermined bythe characteristic rate of interruption of the interrupter I, and eachtime that the relay 35 is operated, the contacts thereof will be closedto short circuit the resistance coilil in the circuit of the line cutofirelay c, to operate its insensitive armature to close the contacts 3:30of the relay 0. The contacts 30 are include; in circuit with the centralotfice source o'l current am i the register It. The register will beoperated at each closure oi the con tacts 30, and the counting mechanismnot shown in the drawing but, well understood, will be advanced from onecounting position to another at each actuation.

Periodically, and at the end of periods during which the register R hasbeen opened v at a definite predetermined number of times,

for instance ten times, the contacts .45 are momentarily closed upon thenext succeeding actuation of the register, a circuit 'thereby beingcompleted during such actuation for the substation register controllingrelay 7, including the central office source of current, the circuitbeing traced :trom the negative pole of the said source, the winding ofthe relay 1, through contacts 45 of the register mechanism, throughcontacts 46 atthe central oflice source, through the windings of thecord supervisory relay so, to the conductors t? and d8 of the lineleading to the substation register N, and then again closing the circuitbut reversing the line conductors 4:7 and with respect to the positiveand negative poles oi? the source of current connected to the windingsof the supervisory relay so. In other words, the central otlice batteryis momentarily reversed with'respect to the substation register N, andthis register is adjusted to only op crate when current from the centralotiire battery is reversed in direction. Therefore, upon such a reversalthe register N at the substation which is magnetically polarized, willoperate to indicate to the subscriber that so many charge units, torinstance ten .151; charge units have beenregistered by the mastercontrolling register R at the central oliice. It can be seen thatisincethev number of registrations depend upon the rate of interruptions ofthe interrupter I, that by operating the relay m instead of the relay m,that a different interrupter, for instance the interrupter I included incircuit with the relay 35, and therefore causing this relay to beactuated at a different rate, for instance, a more rapid rate will causethe registrations of the two registers to be accomplished at a differentor correspondingly more rapid rate. Other rates of registrationactuations may be accomplished by including the other registersincircuit with the relay 35. The

circuit conductor BB in circuit with which the registrations are adaptedto be included,

- switching means to provide for the association oil the diiie rentinterrupters in circuit with the conductor RR at different times of theday as may be desired. This apparatus consists of a switchboard IS, bymeans of which any of the vertical conductors CT may be connected to anyof the horizontal conductors H leading to the relays m m etc., tocontrol their operation, and may be of any suitable form, beingillustrated as a plug cross-bar switchboard of a well-known form.

The clock mechanism T, is adapted by means of the intervening drivingmagnet M and a central oflice source of current to step the rotaryswitch SWV from its position of contact with one of the vertical circuitconductors CT to another from hour to hour, so that in twenty-four hoursthe rotary switch will have completed a circuit with each one of thevertical conductors CT, each one for an hour. The position of the plugin the switchboard IS obviously determines which relay of the group atto m is to be included during a given hour in circuit with the cen tralsource of current, the connection to the ground pole of which is appliedto the rotary switch-arm a. For instance, when the rotary switch-arm amakes contact with the contact 50, the relay m is operated and thecircuit interrupter I is for an hour associated with the circuitconductor RR. Again during that hour in which the switch-arm a restsupon the contact 51, the relay m is operated to include the circuitconductor 1 in circuit with the conductor HR to control the operation ofcord circuit relays, such as 85. Thus, the clock mechanism T shifts therate of registrations as may be predetermined by the switch plugs on theswitchboard IS. The registrations go on during the conversational periodas long as the two subscribers have their receivers from the hookwithout replacement. 1

When the subscribers finish their conversation and either hangs up hisreceiver, the registration automatically ceases by the opening of thecontacts 32 or 4:1 in the cirsuit of the controlling relay 35 of thecord circuit. The called-for subscriber hanging up will give adisconnect signal by the closing of the contacts 33 in the circuit ofthe signal lamp SC. The calling subscriber retiring, will give adisconnect signal by the deenergization of the supervisory relay sawhich will retract its armatures, closing the contacts 61, 62 and 17 andopening the contacts 63 and 41. The closing of the contacts 62 completesa circuit for the looking relay E, the circuit being traced as follows:from the ground pole of the source of current, now closed contacts 60 ofthe relay 22, normally closed contacts 62 of the relay art, the Windingof the locking relay E to the negative pole of the source of current.Current from the said source flowing over this circuit will operate thelocking relay E which will attract its armatures, openlng its contacts42, 64, 65 and 66, and closing its contacts 67 and 68. The closure ofthe lastnamed contact 68, completes a locking circuit for the relay E,this circuit extending to the winding of the relay E independent of thecontact 62 of the relay set, this looking circuit extending from thenegative pole of thesource of current, through the winding of the relayE, through now closed contact 68 thereof, through normally closedcontacts 43 of the restoring key if, through normally closed contact 44located on the ringing key is, through now closed contacts 29 of therelay 22, to the ground pole of the source of current. The closure ofthe contacts 67 of the relay E and of the contact 61 of the supervisoryrelay 8a completes a circuit for the signal lamp SA, to cause thissignal lamp to give a disconnect signal, this circuit being traced asfollows: from the negative pole of the source of current, through thesaid signal lamp, through the now closed contact 14 of the relay 10,through normally closed contacts 15 located on the listening key is,through now closed contacts 67 of the relay E and the normal contacts61, now closed, to the ground pole of the source of current. Currentfrom the said source will operate the said disconnect lamp to give adisconnect signal to the operator.

The duty of the operator upon observing this signal, is to perform theactof disconnection by withdrawing the two plugs of the cord circuit ofthe jacks of the calling and called subscribers. However, it oftenhappens in practice, that the operator being engaged in the work ofperforming supervisory acts for other connected subscribers and inputting up other connections, may overlook this disconnect signal forthe time being. The system of my invention is soarranged that duringthis interval and prior to the time the operator performs the act ofdisconnection, the originating connected subscriber may cause thedisconnect signal to operate in a characteristic manner so as to give aspecial signal to the operator, this ordinarily denoting to the operatorthat the calling subscriber desires another connection, or perhaps maywant the called subscriber recalled.

Assuming now that the subscriber A makes such a recall by again takinghis receiver from the hook, the supervisory relay so will be againoperated, breaking its normal contacts, and again causing its normallyopened contacts to be made. The opening of the normal contacts 61 by thesupervisory relay sa will interrupt the connection to the ground pole ofbattery which has maintained the supervisory signal SA operative, andinstead will substitute an alternate connection to ground through theflash interrupter F, the circuit including the said interrupter beingtraced from the ground pole of battery, through the said interrupter,

which iscommon to a plurality of cord cir vcuits, through contacts 28 ofthe relay 22, through the now closed contacts 68 of the relay 8a,through the contacts 67'0-1 therelay E, through normal contacts 15 onthe listening key, through contacts 14: of the relay 10, through thesignal lamp SA, to the negativepole of the source of current. Currentfrom the said source will intermittentlqy flow over the said circuit asthe interrupter I revolves causing a characteristic flash of the lamp Ato attract the attention of the operator to the recall. The operatorwill attend to the recall by operating her listening key is, whichwillopen the circuit of the signal lamp SA, by the breaking of the contacts 15 located on the listening key extin guishing the lamp. Theclosure of the contacts l9 and 20- will again connect the operators:telephone to the telephone of the calling subscriber at A inconversational circuit; The subscriber at B, that is, the first calledsubscriber, even though he may have his receiver oii the hook, will notbe connected in conversational circuit with the operator or the callingsubscriber at this time due to the continued opening of contacts 6'5and" 66, causing the talking strands in the direction of the calledsubscriber to be severed. The operator may therefore converse with thesubscriber at A to the'exclusion of the subscriber at B, absolutesecrecy being maintained as to the subscriber at B.

If the calling subscriber desires a new connection to some othersubscribers line'than thesubscribers line having the substation B, bewill make known his desire to the operator whowill perform the nextnecessary connection by withdrawing the plug P of the cord circuitfromthejack J" of the "former called line and insert it into a jack of thenow called line, and perform the ringing function in the manner whichhas been described for theline having the substation B. If this is done,thel'ocked-up relay E will be restored to normal by the withdrawal ofthe plug P from the jack J, since such withdrawal causes adeenergization of the relay 22 and an opening ofthe contacts 29 seriallyincluded in the locking circuit of the relay E, as has been described,the locking circuit being opened the relay E will be restored to normalposition.

If the calling subscriber merely desires the operator to again, ring thecalled subscriber,

this may be done without withdrawing the plug P from the ack J, and bymerely operating the ringing key the restoration of the locked relay Ewill take place, sincethe contacts 44 serially included in the lockingcircuit of the locked relay E will be opened upon, every operation ofthe ringing key is. If the callingv subscriber desires to be reconnectedto the called subscriber whom the operator knows to have the telephoneoff the hook by the efiaced condition of the. signal lamp SA, the relayE may be restored to normal by throwing the un-locking key 7smomentarily to open contacts 43 serially included in the locking circuitof the relay E, as has been described.

It will be observed that the restoration. of the relay E restores thecontacts 65 and 6b to operative condition, whereby the talking strandsof the cord circuit from the calling to the called ends of the cordcircuit, and as the case may be, from calling to called subscriberssubstations. The restoration oi the relay E also dissociates the flashinterrupter 1 from the signal lamp SA by the opening of the contacts 67of the relay E. T he restoration of the relay E also again conditionsthe subscribers charge mechanism of the calling line to operateby theclosing ofthe contacts 42' of the relay E in the circuit of; the relay35, which relay may be called the registration relay, and it is. onlynecessary thereafter that each subscriber has his receiver oil the hook,closing contacts n and 32 of the calling and called supervisory relaysto cause the registration to recommence.

Now, if it is assumed that the time of day has arrived when the clockmechanism at T through the intermediate driving magnetM has advanced theswitch-wiper a to a position where the relay m is retired and one ottheother relays determined by the position of. the plugs on the switchboardTS is operated, it can be seen that the rate of registration will changedepending upon which relay as m m on", m isoperated, and whichinterrupter therefore as 1 I 1 I, is included in circuit with the relay35, to control its operation. Both subscribers may. converse, theregistration going on automatically, the number of registrations being afunction of the length of the time they con-verse and of the time of daywhen they converse.

The conversation being completed, the

subscribers retiring will operate their dis connect signals in thewell-known manner and the connection may be taken down by the operator,in which case all of: the apparatus involved in the connection: isrestored to normal position.

WVhat I claim and desire to cover by- United States Letters Patent isdefined in the following claimsin which I claim 1, In a telephonesystem, the combination with a subscribers telephone line, of a registermechanism for the said line located at a main station, of a secondregister mechanism for the said line located at a substation on theline, and means operative underthe control of the main stationregistration mechanism to operate-the substation mechanism a fractionalnumber of times the main station mechanism is operated.

2. In a telephone system, the combination will be extended lUl) with atelephone line, of register mechanism associated with the said line, ofan operators link circuit for connecting the said line to othertelephone lines, timing means, progressively movable switch mechanismoperable under the control of said timing means, of a plurality ofcircuit controllers under the control of the said timing and switchmechanism, whereby the said timing and switch mechanism may select agiven. one of the said circuit controllers, and means to cause aselected circuit controller to operate the said line register under thecontrol of apparatus in the said link circuit.

3. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, ofregister mechanism associated with the said line and located at a mainexchange terminal. thereof, an operators link circuit for connecting thesaid line with other telephone lines, register operating mechanismassociated with the said link circuit and adapted to be associated withthe said line mechanism when connection is made between the said linkcircuit and the said line circuit, of a plurality of registrationcontrolling means "for the said registration means, and timing meansincluding a progressively movable non-numerical switch to select a givenone or" the said controlling means to control the said registrationmeans.

at. in a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, ofregister mechanism associated with a main exchange terminal of the saidline, of subsidiary register mechanism located at a substation ot theline, a central exchange mechanism operating at a definite predeterminedrate to operate at the said rate the main exchange line registermechanism of the said line, and means associated with the saidlast-named register mechanism to operate the said subsidiary registermechanism once, when the main exchange line register mechanism has beenoperated a predetermined number of times.

5. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, ofregister mechanism associated with a main exchange terminal of the saidline, of subsidiary register mechanism located at a substation of theline,

central exchange mechanism operating at a definite predetermined rate tooperate at the said rate the main exchange line register mechanism ofthe said line, means associated with the said last-named registermechanism to operate the said subsidiary register mechanism once, whenthe main exchange .line register mechanism has been operated apredetermined number of times, and a main exchange switch for varyingthe rates of registration.

6. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, ofregister mechanism associated with a main exchange terminal of the saidline, of subsidiary register mean-- anisiu located at a substation ofthe line, a central exchange mechanism operating at a definiteredetermined rate to operate at the said rate the main exchange lineregister mechanism of the said line, means associated with the saidlast-named register mechanism to operate the said subsidiary registermechanism once, when the main exchange line register mechanism has beenoperated a predetermined number of times, a main exchange switch forvarying the rates of registration, and a clock mechanism controlling thesaid rate of varying means.

7. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephonelines, of a plurality of link circuits at a main exchange forinterconnecting the said lines, substation telephones for the saidlines, substation con trol relays in each of the said link circuits forcalling and called interconnected subscribers lines, a registerindividual to a calling one of said lines, commutators associated withthe said link circuits adapted to operate the said register under thecontrol of the said relays, timing means for associating a commutatorwith said register and means under the control of the calling substationinstrument to destroy the control of the said commutator over the saidregister.

8. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, of mainexchange register mechanism for the said line, of subsidiary mechanismat a substation of the said line, a central exchange commutatoroperating at a definite predetermined rate to operate at the said ratethe main exchange line register of the said line, and means associatedwith the said last-named register to operate the said subsidiaryregister, the said means causing the registration by the subsidiaryregister of a fractional part of the number of main exchange registerregistrations. I

9. In a telephone system, telephone lines, a register mechanism for eachline located at the main station, an operators link circuit torconnecting the said line to other telephone lines, a plurality ofinterrupters tor variably operating the register mechanism of thecalling line-and a progressively movable non-munerical switch forselecting a desired interrupter to control said register mechanism.

10. In a telephone system, a plurality of telephone lines, two registermechanisms associated with each telephone line, an operators linkcircuit for connecting one telephone line to any of the other telephonelines and an interrupter for operating one of said registers in responseto each operation of said interrupter, said second register be ingoperated in response to a plurality of operations of said firstregister.

11. In a telephone system, a plurality of telephone lines, polarizedregister mech anism associated with each telephone Line an operatorslink circuit for Connecting one 5 telephone line to any o'fthe othertelephone lines and: means including a relay individual to the callingline, and operated responsive to the interconnection of the calling. andcalled telephone lines for reversing current in the calling line.- tooperate said register.

in Witness whereof, E hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of March,A. D. 1918.

FRANK M.. SLLOUGHF

